The Sunday Development team maintained their 100% record this season following a thumping victory over local rivals HSBC. Skipper Ainger won the toss and elected to bowl and his seamers took full toll with the new ball. Jamie Batten (8-0-43-3) removed the dangerous opposition opener and proceeded to comprehensively clean up his partner before James Alvey (8-2-22-4) drove a horse and carriage through the middle order to leave HSBC in tatters at 70-6. Although a recovery was delicately resurrected, tight spells from Tyler, Webster C, Ainger and Owen ensured that they never threatened to post a challenging total on a good wicket.

In reply, the early loss of Ed Nott proved little more than a hiccup as Sanders L (76*) and Sanders C (55*) merrily knocked off the runs with an unbroken partnership of 129. Another excellent performance by the Blue Army for whom an undefeated campaign is now a realistic ambition.

After a superb display the previous week against Beckenham, it was up to the Development XI to confirm a strong league position early on in the league season with a tough matchup against Old Wilsonsians.

After being sent into bat, ODs got off to the worst possible start, losing Dan Webster first ball to a peach clipping his off stump. Under pressure due to some good bowling from the Old Wilsonians openers Eashan and Av Patel started the scoring with a steady 7 and 5 respectively. With Old Wilsonians providing the majority of the runs through extras (50) it was down to the batsmen to stay out there and protect their wicket. With the score at 98-7 off 32 overs it was down to some clever batting from Andrew Ainger who played a captains’ knock of 32 to get the ODs total up to a competitive total. Finishing off the innings with superb knocks were Dan Brown (18) and Seth Tyler (4*) who saw ODs up to a very respectable but not out of reach total of 156 all out, off 40 overs.

The Old Wilsonians batsmen came out of the blocks running with some powerful hitting from N.Morley, who was out-thought by Chris Webster leading to a good catch from Billy Rouse. With a strong partnership building through batsmen 1 and 3 for Old Wilsonians it was the spinners who took charge with Seth Tyler and Andrew Ainger building pressure on a turning wicket. Seth took two quick lbw wickets through some good varying of pace. However it was young Callum Maclenan on debut who started to cause some serious problems for the batsmen, swinging the ball away. Callum took the vital wicket of C.Hammond (20) to build some more pressure on the OW’s batsmen. Although chasing a nondescript total the OW’s batsmen seemed unable to pick up runs against the ODs spinners. Jake Caddy the pick of the spinners ending with superb figures of 8 overs for 13 runs for a single wicket.

As OWs crept closer to the target of 156 it took a whole team effort to close out the game. Chris Webster with ball in hand bowled brilliantly taking out a couple of dangerous batsmen for low scores. The game was leading up to a nailbiting conclusion with C.Scott hitting a long straight six to keep OWs in with a big chance. With 9 to win off the last over with one wicket left and two men back, it was up to Scott to clear the boundary, with some bad calling from J.Jukes, Chris Webster took a final run out to seal victory by 8 runs for OD’s.

After an extremely successful 2014 campaign for the Sunday league team the pressure was on in a new and stronger league to perform. Beckenham was the first challenge and with a strong team we looked to carry on the success.

Andrew lost the toss and the oppo skipper elected to bat first. Tej opened the bowling and hit lovely areas straight away, causing the opening pair problems. He finished with figures of 4-0-11-0. Jamie Batten from the other end returning from injury, revving it up, cleaned their opener up easy as you like and caused the Langley skipper all sorts of problems.

Nick and Andrew replaced the openers to try and rip through the middle order. Nick bowled in good areas and piled the pressure on the batsmen, leaving Andrew to pick up two wickets at the other end. Seth and Billy then came into the attack, with Billy winning cello of the day with a sharp caught and bowled. Seth at the other end with a point to prove against his old club bowled with great control and picked up 5, with some genuine send offs to the crowds delight.

180 off 40 overs was the target on a slow pitch and a rapid outfield. Laurence and nick started steadily with Laurence out scoring Nick for a good portion of their partnership, until Laurence chipped a cover drive to the fielder for an easy catch. Nick began to score more freely until lofting a long hop to long-on for 41. A small middle order collapse lead Notty and Eash to steady the ship, while continuing to stick with the required run rate. Eash was caught LBW playing around his pad and a mix up with Billy left Notty stranded. Billy and Andrew were left to be the heroes needing 50 from 19 overs, with Beckenham licking their lips at the thought of Seth coming to bat. Both players batted with good composure (mostly) punishing the bad balls and keeping the good ones out.

A comfortable win for the Sunday team as the blue army marches on in their quests for world domination.